Crombie Unveils Plan to Protect Mississauga Jobs and Businesses from U.S. Tariffs

MISSISSAUGA, ON — August 27, 2026 — Bonnie Crombie today unveiled a comprehensive Tariff and Trade Resilience Plan to protect Mississauga businesses and jobs, strengthen local and Canadian procurement, accelerate new investment and help local companies diversify into markets beyond the United States.

“Washington may set the tariffs and Ottawa may negotiate trade agreements, but Mississauga is not powerless,” said Crombie. “City Hall controls hundreds of millions of dollars in purchasing. It controls how quickly we pay local businesses, how quickly we approve new investment and how aggressively our Mayor fights for our jobs.”

“If a Mississauga business is fighting to keep its workers employed, City Hall should be fighting alongside them. My plan will keep more cash in local businesses, spend more of our tax dollars here at home, move new investment through City Hall faster and use advantages like Pearson Airport to help Mississauga companies reach the world.”

Crombie's plan would:

• provide interest-free property tax deferrals on the City portion of qualifying commercial and industrial property taxes for businesses directly affected by U.S. tariffs;
• pay qualifying local small and medium-sized City vendors within 15 days;
• make Buy Canadian and Made-in-Mississauga procurement permanent and measurable;
• create a Mayor's Tariff Action Team with a 48-hour response commitment for major employers facing significant job or investment decisions;
• fast-track investments that protect or create Mississauga jobs;
• use the Pearson Economic Zone to attract investment and help local exporters reach new international markets;
• make the Lake Ontario waterfront a centrepiece of Mississauga's investment strategy; and
• put Mississauga back at the table with senior governments.

The plan goes beyond examining options and waiting for senior governments to act. It identifies specific municipal levers City Hall can use now: tax policy, procurement, payment terms, approvals, investment attraction and mayoral advocacy.

“We built a resilient economy in Mississauga by attracting and growing strong clusters in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, finance and technology,” Crombie said. “Now we need to act with the same confidence. This is not just about getting through a tariff crisis. It is about protecting the jobs we have and winning the investment and jobs of the future.”

Crombie said the current Mayor's response has so far been too limited.

“The current Mayor says Mississauga stands ready. I think Mississauga needs to get moving,” said Crombie. “Businesses do not need City Hall simply examining options. They need action.”

A central part of Crombie's plan is making better use of Toronto Pearson and the Pearson Economic Zone to attract aerospace, logistics, advanced manufacturing and life-sciences investment while helping existing Mississauga businesses reach customers outside the United States.

Crombie, a former Chair of Ontario's Big City Mayors, said the Mayor must also be personally engaged with senior governments when local jobs are at risk.

“Mississauga is one of the most important economic centres in Canada. Our Mayor needs to be in the room with the Premier, the Prime Minister and other big-city mayors making the case for our businesses and our workers. I've done that before, and I'll do it again.”

“Tariffs are a serious challenge, but Mississauga should not approach them from a position of fear. We have the businesses, the talent, Pearson Airport and one of the most diversified economies in Canada. Let's use every lever City Hall has to protect Mississauga jobs, buy Canadian, build here and sell Mississauga to the world.”